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E. P.COWLES. MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7| 1914.

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MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED APR.71914.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

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l To all wfwm t may concern.'

l l plication Serial No. 714,297, led August 9,

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EDWARD P. CWLES, 0F SPARTA, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

PACKARD MoToR CAR COMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

MIcHIeAiv.

specincation 'of Letters Patent.

A -CQRP ORATION OF MOTOR-verlie.

Original application iled September 6, 19.01, Serial No. 74,497. Divided and this application lfiled April 7,

. 1914. Serial No. 830,256.

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. CowLns, a citizen of the United States, and resident of` Sparta, county ofKent, Statev of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful'morovements in Motor-Vehicles, ofwhich the y following isa specification.

yThis application is a division of my ap- 1912, which in turn is a division of my earlier application, filed September A6, 1901, and issued January 21, 1913, Patent No. 1,050,810.

My present invention relates to motor ve hicles and j particularly to signal devices therefor.

One ofthe objects of the invention is to i provide means for automatically signaling to following vehicles the intentions of the driver of the preceding vehicle as to slowin down, stopping orreversing. f

. With this and other objects inl View, one

` embodiment of the invention consists 1n the vconstruction and arrangement of parts described in the following specification reference being had to the accompanying drawings in whichz- Figure 1 is a vside elevation of a motorV f 'vehicle embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a view showing the automatic signal for indicating the speed or direction of the motion of the vehicle. Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3 and showing the parts in a different position. Fig. 5 is a view similar to'Fig. 3 and showing a slight modification.

While my inventionis applicable to all kinds of motor vehicles and to all kinds of motors, it is specially adapted to that form of `driving gear shown and described in my Patent No. 654,716, dated/July 31, 1900, and the driving gear outlined in the accompany- I ingdrawings is of that general form.

- ing vehicle. 1 accomplish this end by use of signal attached to the running gear and it -is displayed, preferably, on the back of the l last seat, said 'signa-l being automatically operated by the controlling mechanism. 'This signal can be-of any shape, size, color,

Patented Aug. 8j, 1916.

or artistic design. Preferablyfl make it inv the form of a round 'disk 17 7 Fig. 3, about siX inches in Vdiameter having in its rear face a series of colored rings. This target or signal disk is attached to a vertical stem 178,

extending down into the body where it isf attached to a piece 179 adapted to move vertlcally on suitable guides in the body frame.

- Piece 179 is connected by cord or chain-180,

shown by broken'lines, passing over pulleys 181, 182, to a projection 183, on rod 67 of other controlling mechanism. The pulleys 181, 182, serve to changethe direction of motion and offset cord 180.v

Referring again to my Patent No. 654,716, it will be observed that said rod 67 or its equivalent, when adjusted from its extreme rear position, which position it occupies when the vehicle is moved at the 4highest. speed, moves continuously.- forward for a change of vehicle` movement, from high speed to slow, stom-reverse, and a backward movement of rod 67 reversesthis order. Target 177 vis adapted so that when rod 67 is in its rear position and the vehicle is -moving. at a high speed the disk will just appear above a slitlSL in the body, as shown in full lines, Fig. 3. As the rod 67 moves farther -forward and the speed of the vehicle decreases the target 177 is raised until at the time'the vehicle is moving at its slowest speed it is fully exposed above slit 184. A further movement of rod 67 forward applies the brakes and stops the vehicle, at the same time raising target 17 7 about three inches above the slit on its stem 178, Fig. 3. A still further movement forward of rod 67 reverses and backs the vehicle at .the same time raising. target 177 about three inches when the target 17 7 isjust visible above slit 1841, the speed is twenty miles or more an 4hour, when wholly above slit the speed has been reduced togabout live miles per hour, and when the disk occupies a position interv mediate 'between these two, the Vehicle will is divided likethe letter Y-with a Y-shaped sto bility to accident, particularly where there be moving'at a speed correspondingly intermediate between twenty 'and live miles per hour. vHorizontal linesv185 can bedrawnl across disk" that will indicate a close approxivmation to the speed of the vehicle.

I n an emergency requiring the vehicle to and back quickly, there is Aspecial liaslides in avertical slot 187 to keep the stem from vibrating in its lower position. The upper end of this slot at a point where pin 186 wouldreach whenreversing commences,

cam 188 in the center. .During the reversing process pin 186 slides up one'side or the other of cam 188, and together with target- `17 7 is deflected to one side.x When reversing is about accomplished pin 186 reaches the.

top of cam 188,is released and with target pivoted to the body at- 189, their lower ends' 17 7 commences to vibrate laterally from the force of gravity like a pendulum, making the signal for. thismovement very emphatic, so that it cannot easily be overlooked or .mistaken. Cam 188 is composed of two pieces forced together by springs 189 in this way forming the apex of the Y. When target 177 descends, pin 186 passes down on the inside of the Y, presses the two pieces 188 open and passes through. One 4branch of the Y can be dispensed with, if desired, deflecting the target only Oneway. f

Havingv thus described my invention, what claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.I In a motor vehicle, the combination of devices for controlling the 4direction of movement and speed of the vehicle, a signal at the rear of the vehicle, and connecting in presence of mesme means 'between said signal and said devices 2. In a motor vehicle, la signal consisting i of a movable disk suitably mounted on the vehicle', connections between said disk and the motor controlling devices whereby the disk will be reciprocated in one direction when the speed of the vehicle is changedf and means for vibrating said signal in another direction. when the direction of movement of the vehicle is reversed.

8. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a' signal device, means to actuate the same to cause it to indicate vehicle speed by one character of'signal, and to indicatev direction of movement of thevehicle by another and different character of signal, and control mechanism connected with said means, said mechanism being operable from the drivers seat. v

4.' In a motor vehicle,a signal, means to cause said signal to assume a variety of rpositions to indicate certain -changes in the operation of the vehicle and to-cause said signal to flicker to indicate a dierent character of change Vin the operation of the vehicle, and mechanism for operating said means. Y

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination .of themotor control mechanism thereof, a sig- 'naldevice arranged at the rear ofthevehicle, means to flicker said signal device, and connections between said means and 'said motor control mechanism to automatically operate such means.

-6. In a motor vehicle, a'signal device,

means to operate said device to indicatea change in the speed of movement, means to vflicker said device after said first 'means has operated, and a device controlled by the driver for causing the operation of said first means.

In testimony whereof I afiix'my signature two witnesses. 1 x EDWARD P. COWLES. Witnesses: A. B. CHENEY, H. M. BALLARD.

Co-rrece'n in Letters Patent N0.1 ,193,766.

It is hereby certified that iu Lettere Patent No, 1,193,765l greeted August 8,

1916,11pon the appleetion'o' Efhmuli). Cowles, of 5pm-17:1, Michigan, for am improvement iu 1\Iot01'- V0he1es, mi error appears in y't he printed speeiczitien requiring correction asfollows: Page 1, line S1, for the wml 11.dnpted" remi culjuzfed; and

that the said Letters Patent ehould be'reed with thi@ correction therein thetthe same rhay conformi t6 the record o1' I.the case in the Patent Oice.

Signed lendeeeled this 19th dey of September, A, D., 1916.

[SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

lC1. 11e-31. 

